From the Mayor and her husband Ryan, here’s a little ditty from a HeidiTown favorite, the Kansas City band The Elders. 

Sláinte!

To find out more about The Elders visit their Web site at www.EldersMusic.com.

Robert Pattinson shines — not sparkles — as the very human Tyler Hawkins in "Remember Me." Photo Courtesy of Rotten Tomatoes

Review by Susan Richards

“Remember Me” is a poignant little film never intending to be major box office fodder, much less to bump a giant like “Alice in Wonderland” out of first place. So why all the scrutiny and pressure?

It happens to be the indy drama Robert Pattinson chose to shoot between New Moon and Eclipse; Twilight Saga movies two and three for the uninformed or uninterested. I personally am way more informed and interested than I care to admit, but that’s a story for another time. Pattinson plays the intense and devoted vampire Edward in the Twilight series, and the critics have been rubbing their hands in anticipation of skewering his ability to do anything that involves less pancake make-up.

Directed by Allen Coulter — best known for his work on cable shows like “Sex and the City” and “The Sopranos” — “Remember Me” is the story of two young people who have been broken and altered by tragedies in their individual lives. Ally, played by Emilie de Ravin, has risen above her loss but is still shackled to an overprotective father who’s not ready for her to grow up. Pattinson plays Tyler Hawkins, whose personal tragedy still haunts him, manifesting itself in… continue reading this review by clicking here.

The Seafood Basket at Young's Cafe. Photo from www.youngscafe.com.

The 82nd Academy Awards winner for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Film Editing, Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, is back in theaters.

“The Hurt Locker” now playing in select theaters across the country. This was the highest rated film at HeidiTown.com in 2009. 

Read review of “The Hurt Locker” by clicking here.

Rated PG

Directed by Tim Burton

Starring Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, Crispin Glover, Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Alan Rickman, Barbara Windsor

Heidi’s Illustrious Rating: 3.75/5

Word of Warning: This one is properly rated. Although it’s dark, partly due to the 3D glasses, I don’t think it would be terribly frightening for the little ones.

The original “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” was a book written by Englishman Lewis Carroll in 1865. It is considered the quintessential example of the “literary nonsense” genre. Burton’s new “Alice” doesn’t quite live up to that description. Although the world he has created is a bit nutty, it’s not quite as nonsensical as Carroll’s Wonderland.

According to my husband, who is more of an “Alice” aficionado than I am, the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) wasn’t quite mad enough. My husband is also a big fan of Tim Burton, and he felt “Alice” didn’t feel as though it had enough of Burton’s style in it. That being said, he enjoyed the movie, but I enjoyed it even more.  

This is the story of Alice Kingsley, a 19-year-old whose future is being planned out for her without any consideration of her wants or desires. This was a fairly typical situation for young women of the time period. When Hamish Ascot, a sniveling Lord, asks for Alice’s hand in marriage, she is expected to say yes, but instead she flees into the forest where she falls down a rabbit hole.

Alice finds herself in a strange and magical land where she meets odd creatures and animals that are able to speak. Everyone seems to know her, and yet she doesn’t know anyone in this peculiar place. She finds herself wrapped up in an adventure story where she is destined to play a large role. All the while, she continues to believe she is dreaming.

Her adventure in Wonderland starts out feeling familiar, in a dark wooden room with lots of differently sized doors. There’s even a bottle marked “Drink Me” and a cake with the words “Eat Me” written on it. But that’s where the familiarity starts to fade. This Alice is caught up in a very different story than the younger Alice, a slightly more dangerous tale.

Interestingly, Tim Burton had never filmed on green screen before and ninety percent of “Alice” is filmed on green screen. According to once source, the green screen scenes were filmed in a relatively short period – 40 days – leaving the cast and crew a little nauseated. It’s said Burton actually wore a pair of lavender lenses fitted onto his glasses to cut down on the overload of green.

With a mix of live actors and animation, I enjoyed this whimsical, 3D Alice story. Purest will likely have issues with the movie, but it’s an enjoyable film on it’s own merits. Perhaps the Mad Hatter could be madder and the ending could be a little less contrived, but this one is worth the full price of admission, and be sure to see it in 3D.

Also appearing in the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor.

The war drama walked away with six Oscars, including both best director and best picture.  Kathryn Bigelow is the first female director to win the award.

The win proves that even though 3D blue people are big time money makers, a truly great movie must be more than just a collection of spectacular special effects.

Congratulations to Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal and the rest of the cast and crew of “The Hurt Locker.”

Read the review of HeidiTown’s highest rated movie of 2009, “The Hurt Locker,” here. 

Special to the Surveyor

The 82^ndAnnual Academy Awards are this Sunday, March 7, 2010 and for the first time in 66 years, ten films have been nominated for Best Picture, instead of the standard five.

When I first heard this astounding number, I was incredulous. Most years it is hard to find five films good enough to be nominated for Best Picture, let alone ten. The Academy claims they wanted a “broader range of titles in the mix,” but we all know they wanted more people to get their butts to the movies. Many of us, me included, attempt to see every Best Picture nomination.

The Academy also wanted the ratings for their show. By broadening the nominees to include such films as “Up” and “The Blind Side,” your favorite is certain to be in the mix and therefore, you will be more likely to tune in on Oscar night.

I usually make an effort to see all the Best Picture nominees, but this year I’ve only managed six out of ten, and I am unapologetic (and bitter about “Star Trek” not making this very big cut). So without further ado, here are this year’s Best Picture nominees.

“Avatar” – Cameron’s 3D phenomenon combines the coolest graphics ever to hit the big screen with an uninspired and predictable storyline. In my illustrious opinion a best picture winner should be outstanding in multiple categories including directing, acting and storyline. “Avatar” fails to deliver on all three. HeidiTown.com rating: Graphics 4.5/5 Storyline 2.5/5

“The Blind Side” – I know a lot of you who love this feel good, sports flick, but I’ll wait until it comes to the Hallmark Channel. “The Blind Side” is a good example of the Academy’s attempt to use their nominations to appeal to the masses. HeidTown.com rating: none

“District 9” – I definitely would have included this one in the top five. 2009 was am awesome year for science fiction. “District 9” was surprisingly good and distinctive sci-fi and I’m rarely amazed by any movie. HeidiTown.com rating: 4/5

“An Education” – Fabulous directing, outstanding acting and a clever narrative made this film a HeidiTown favorite. “An Education” is as visually stimulating as it is emotionally engaging. Based on the memoir of Lynn Barber, a celebrated British journalist, I’ll be rooting for this one on Oscar night. HeidiTown.com rating: 4.5/5

“The Hurt Locker” – Set in Iraq in 2004, this plot stayed away from politics and concentrated on the things that make an excellent war movie – characters and ambiance. This movie was a huge winner at the British Academy Awards on Feb. 21, 2010, and I can only hope the Americans will follow suit. HeidiTown.com rating: 5/5 (highest rating of the year)

“Inglorious Bastards” – I have a lot of friends who loved this Quentin Taratino re-visualization of WWII history. I’m not a die-hard fan of Taratino, so I’m waiting to see this one on DVD. HeidiTown.com rating: none

“Precious” – I have purposely skipped this one. Yes, it has gotten critical acclaim, but I just never felt in a good enough mood to subject myself to this depressing of a film. Heiditown.com rating: none

“A Serious Man” – I desperately wanted to see this Cohen brothers’ movie in the theater, but it only briefly played in northern Colorado. I’ve put this one in my NetFlix queue and am anxiously awaiting its arrival. HeidiTown.com rating: none

“Up” – A clever, cute little film, but no cartoon should receive a Best Picture nomination. Personally, I’d nominate “Fantastic Mr. Fox” before Disney’s “Up.” HeidiTown.com rating: 4/5 

“Up in the Air” – Starring George Clooney as a traveling salesman who is forced to take stock of his mundane existence when a bright Cornell grad joins his company and begins changing things. This is definitely one of the best of 2009. HeidiTown.com rating: 4/5

It’s here again!  March 1-14, 2010, twenty-five Fort Collins restaurants will be offering a great $25 deal. 

The event it sponsored by the Fort Collins Downtown Business Association.

Click here to see a full list and menus of the participating restaurants.

My favorite Great Plate deals includes wings or nachos, a 14 inch specialty pizza and pitcher of beer for $25 at Coopersmith’s Poolside at #5 Old Town Square.

Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo star as two 1950s U.S. Marshals sent to Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a dangerous mental patient.

Rated R

Directed by Martin Scorsese

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Max Von Sydow, Emily Mortimer, Jackie Earl Haley, Patricia Clarkson

Heidi’s Illustrious Rating: 4/5

Word of Warning: Frightening, but it’s not one of those trendy, cheap-scares kind of films where ghosts crawl on the ceiling and come out of television sets.

There is a lot on the line when someone like Scorsese is sitting in the director chair, and I was anxious to see if “Shutter Island” would live up to the standards of its renowned director.

“Shutter Island” is based on a book by the same named authored by Dennis Lehane, who also wrote “Mystic River” and “Gone Baby Gone.” It is the third film Martin Scorsese and Leonardo Dicaprio have worked on together.

The year is 1954, and U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels (DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Ruffalo) have been summoned to Shutter Island. The island is home to a hospital/prison for the criminally insane, and a dangerous patient has vanished.

The film’s opening sequence – sweeping cinematography of a dark island shrouded in a damp, low lying fog of gloom, accompanied by frantic piano music – sets a terrifying tenor.

When the two marshals arrive on the island, the mood of the place is unsettled. They meet with the hospital’s chief psychiatrist, Dr. Cawley (Kingsley), who despite his friendly nature, seems to be hiding a more sinister side, or perhaps we just think that because Kingsley is so good at sinister.

The marshals find that patient Rachel Solando has mysteriously escaped from her room, leaving only a cryptic note hidden behind her bureau. As the two start their investigation Daniels is plagued with flashbacks of his time in the war and emotional flashbacks involving his late-wife. As the marshals dig deeper, it becomes apparent that all is not as it seems on Shutter Island.

The criminally insane always make for good, scary stories and “Shutter Island” is both beautiful and alarming. Crafted to transport the audience into the tale, by pulling them in with music and emotional, the story wraps the audience into a cocoon of paranoia. In this way, the viewers are connected to Daniels, who is also becoming more and more apprehensive as his investigation deepens.

In “Shutter Island” Scorsese has pulled off a sort of Hitchcockian thriller, tightly holding the viewer’s hand as he leads them down an unpredictable and eerie path. I like this movie. It keeps the viewer guessing without insulting his or her intelligence.

I think Scorsese is tops when it comes to the craft of movie making. He’s made several of my favorites, including “The Age of Innocence” (1993). Scorsese is a storyteller who paints a dazzling and vivid picture, but also draws in the rough edges. I definitely recommend “Shutter Island.”

For a different take on “Shutter Island’ visit WhatWouldTotoWatch.com.

Also appearing in the Berthoud Weekly Surveyor.

The Orange British Academy Film Awards were held Sunday, February 21, 2010.

There are lots of reason to love the Brits, and here’s just one.  HeidiTown’s highest rated film of 2009, won big last night during the 2010 Orange British Academy Film Awards (aka BAFTA). 

Both “The Hurt Locker” and “Avatar” went into the awards with eight nominations each, with “The Hurt Locker” winning six, including Best Director and Best Film.  “Avatar” walked away with two.

Interestingly, while “Avatar” has made a staggering $2 billion at the box office, “The Hurt Locker” has made about $17 million.

Another HeidiTown favorite, Carey Mulligan, won best actress for her work in “An Education.”

Time will tell if “The Hurt Locker” will bode as well in the United States. The Academy Awards are scheduled for Sunday, March 7, and former husband and wife, Cameron and Bigalow will be up against each other again. Both “Avatar” and “The Hurt Locker” have received 9 nominations, including best picture and best director.

I saw “The Hurt Locker” long before the hype. You can read my review by clicking here.

Read my review of “An Education.” ]]> http://www.heiditown.com/2010/02/22/an-american-military-movie-wins-big-at-the-british-academy-awards/feed/ 0